Alumnus Steve Potash Keynotes IP+ Conference
CSU Law’s annual IP+ Conference on October 2 brought practitioners, in-house counsel, investors, and students together for a full day on where intellectual property law is heading.
The keynote came from one of our own. Steve Potash, Founder and Chairman of OverDrive, traced his path from CSU Law graduate and practicing lawyer to startup founder. He discussed digital library innovation and licensing, artificial intelligence and IP, OverDrive’s trademark dispute with OpenAI over the Sora name, pending legislation, and what founders and their counsel should take from the experience.
Four panels filled out the day:
- IP finance and lifecycle, moderated by Professor Christa Laser, with Wendy Verlander (Verlander LLP), Ray Strimaitis (Allied Security Trust), Joseph Rich (Cleveland Clinic Innovations), and Chris Seidl (Certum Group).
- Patentability of emerging technology, from genome editing and diagnostics to quantum computing and AI-enabled inventions, with Sarah Mirza (Squire Patton Boggs), Bradley Pulfer (Calfee), Dr. Raymond N. Russell (Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino), and Robert Knecht Schmidt (Sterne Kessler).
- IP in entertainment and sports, covering name, image, and likeness rights in the age of deepfakes, moderated by Ari Sherwin (Sherwin Legal) with Mark E. Avsec (Benesch), Anna Kelberg-Kim (Kelberg Law), and Jennifer Molnar (Cavitch).
- AI in the practice of IP law, an ethics-focused session moderated by Steven Auvil (Squire Patton Boggs) with Steve Delchin (Squire Patton Boggs) and Judge J. Philip Calabrese of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
Students connected with panelists over a networking lunch, and the day closed with a reception. The conference was organized by Christa Laser, Associate Professor and Director of the Intellectual Property Program. Thank you to sponsors John Cipolla (Calfee), Squire Patton Boggs, Renner Otto, and Tarolli.